Windows Live Suite Skinning (XP)

I used to work around issues with Windows Live Mail and Messenger with Windowblinds 6 by excluding wlcomm.exe (Communications Platform) from Windowblinds.  This seemed a sensible solution as it allowed the suite of programs, which do use their own skins, to still have their pop-up and maximised windows skinned by Windowblinds.

I've had a troubled upgrade to Windowblinds 7, but having solved most of it, I was surprised by the appearance of my Live apps.  It seems to me that Stardock has decided that rather than hard-code an exclusion for wlcomm.exe, they would now exclude all Windows Live executables.  This means that every pop-up, or maximized window generated by these programs, which I use daily, is in the antiquated Windows Classic theme.

I wish to confirm, is this by design, and if so, how am I supposed to skin my XP system in an aero style, yet be expected to run major applications with huge elements of 1990's Classic?

Does anyone have a workaround as I'm running my old version 6.1 at the moment purely as this is such a big thing?  Stardock support don't seem to want to engage me properly on this, as my last reply read "some programs don't skin".   Oh you think!  I understand the problem with applications that have bespoke skinning, but come on!  We had a fix already!  I don't want to upgrade WB for a downgrade in appearances.

I also ask for confirmation that this is by design as I have reported to support an inconsistency, when using WB 7, between Windows Display Properties and the WB GUI, as they can't agree which skin is selected, so if I choose a skin in WB, it applies, but Windows Display Properties will say that Classic is set.  This also happens in reverse!  What??!  I am checking that it is not simply this which is to blame.

Frustrated!  Any solutions?